Celebrity Real Estate Roundup: Bill Gates, Katy Perry

Laura Vecsey

Posted:
07/02/2013 02:49:55 PM MDT

Updated:
07/03/2013 07:13:59 AM MDT

By Laura Vecsey

No Horsing Around For Bill Gates

Microsoft founder Bill Gates famously promised to withhold billion-dollar inheritances to his three children. The software king who donated $38 billion of his fortune to The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation wants his kids to go get a job just like everybody else.

But forget the idea that Gates is a "Daddy Dearest" tyrant.

The world's second-richest man does concede that his kids aren't exactly deprived. Hence we now hear of the purchase of an $8.7 million house in Florida, all to facilitate the good life while oldest daughter Jennifer Gates trains to be a champion horse jumper.

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According to South Florida's Gossip Extra and property records, Gates now owns a 4-bedroom, 4-bathroom Mediterranean-style place in Wellington, Fla., that the family has previously rented during last year's Winter Equestrian Festival. Documents associated with the trust that made the deal show that the property was paid for in cash, or, in the case of this Seattle-based, multi-billionaire: Pocket change.

California Girl Slashes Home Sale Price

The marriage famously flopped, but thanks to the Internet and the tabloids, we're all well aware of the fact that Katy Perry and Russell Brand have both moved on - except for one rather inconvenient, $6.495 million issue.

That's the new price for the Hollywood Hills property that the pop singer just dropped $430,000 from its original list price.

After previously selling a 3-bedroom in Los Feliz that she shared with the British comedian, it's down to this sprawling 7-bedroom, 3-acre, Spanish-style compound at 8159 Hollywood Blvd in Los Angeles - a house she never lived in.

The price drop comes after Perry bought herself a bachelorette-friendly mid-century modern, proving that the singer change her mind on housing style almost as fast as she changes hair color.

No Black Magic in Carlos Santana's Sleek New Modern

Carlos Santana set the standard for searing and sensationally lyric guitar riffs, but the 10-time Grammy winner has really changed keys this time. Like, literally.

After buying a $3.5 million home in Summerlin South estate section of Las Vegas in 2010, the musical magician whose career spans 50 years has just pumped upped the amps big time by purchasing the house next door for $6 million.

It's not just any house, either, but a state-of-the-art technological wonder that's completely computerized to the tune of a $2 million electronic integration system.

That means Mr. Santana can save his talented hands and wrists for playing guitar, since the whole house can by run via a touchscreen on his iPad.

When he needs to chill, there's a $400,000 home theater and one of the largest infinity pools this side of Mandalay Bay. Nice digs for a musical legend.

Foo Fighting Man Saying Bye-Bye

Dave Grohl has kept himself busy since the Nirvana days of the 1980s, taking on stints with the likes of Tom Petty, Paul McCartney and promoting the documentary "Sound City" that he passionately helped make happen about the famous Los Angeles recording studio where so much music history was made.

But now the Foo Fighters' frontman is looking to streamline his real estate holdings by listing his Oxnard, Calif., home at 965 Mandalay Beach Rd for $3.25 million. He must be eager to sell, since the list price is about $50,000 less than Grohl paid for the 3,088-square-foot beachfront home back in 2006.